Speed-inpicatxr



SPEED' INDICATOR.

No. 480,107. Patehted AugJ 1892.

ATTDRNEY WITNESSES:

I UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICEI' ISAAC N. LEl/VIS, OF FORT SCHUYLER, NEVY YORK'.'-

sPEEo-m olcAToR.

PE T forming partof Letters Patent No. 480,107, dated.August 2, 1892.,

pplication. filed flotoher e1. 1891. Serial No. 410,422. on model.)

To all whom zit concern. Be it known that Llsaeo N. LEWIS, a citizen of e United States, residing atFort Schuyler in the county of Westchester, State OfNQW 'ork,haveinventedacertain new and Improved Speeddndieator, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters-of reference indicate corresponding to parts, and in which--- Figure 1 is a' general rear elevation of alocomotive, showing the. application for which my invention is especially intended; Fig.

I an enlarged detail view representing the rear driving-axle in cross-section and the gearing for actuating-theindicator therefrom. Figs. ,2, 2", and 2 represent-an edge view,=a detached edge view, and an interior face view, respectively, of a grooved sheave having vari- 2o able circumference by which the speed of the indicator may be adjusted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of my improved inclicator, taken partly inlsection' 0n the line .7000, Fig. 4, showing theimerlorconstruction there- 2 5 of; Fig. 3, a detail-view of a modification; Fig.

4, a vertical section of Fig. 3, taken on the line y y; and Fig. 5, a partial horizontal seet1on of Figs. 3 and taken on the line .2 .2.

My invention relates to speed-indicators:

o actuated centrifugally tocontrol the index and to produce transient indications of the speed of a revolving body. The dial bears notation of motion as referring to specific time, such as miles per hour or revolutions per 5 minute. 'My invention applied to a rotary shaft is thus adapted to indicate the speed of 'm'oving railway-trains, steam-vessels, and the like, or the speed of stationary engines.

The object of myinvention is to alford an 40 automatic, direct,and accurate reading upon a uniformly-divided scale, eliminating computation", and enabling the engineer or operator to control his speed. 1

My invention consists in aoentrifug'al speed- 5 indicator having compensating mechanism for moving theindex-l1and at substantially equal distances forgiven augmentation or decrease of speed, irrespective of the variable motions imparted to the centrifugal weights 5o at different positions thereof. Thedial maybe thereby provided with an approximately uniform indicating-scale.

the frame B and forming the back of said In order to keep the. spindle Gfrom Y Referring to Figs. 3 to 5 ,inclusive}?repi" resents the rotary shaft of the indicator, Bf

the stationary firame or case iuwhich the same is journaled, and C is the dial, which in the illustration bears notation of speednin miles per hour. D D are centrifugally-activ ated weighted arms suspended from their re spective pivots aa, supported upon'th'e shaft d d are toothed segments fixed, to the weighted arms D D, said segments engaging tangentially with the double-toothed" rack E,

longitudinally movable within the; shaft -A,. r

wherein a squared hole 'e,.corresponding to the square cross-sectional shape of saidjrack,

is provided for it to move freely.1 'lhesege ments at at project into niortises b b, through which they engage with the rack E. F-is a hub attached to the shaft A, revolving jwith it and having vertical slots f j, forming guides.

for the two arms D D, preserving rigidity of,

the latter with reference to the shaft. The

shaft A is provided with a cap or shoulder e at its upper extremity, and also a collarc' for maintaining it in a proper'plane of rotations-.

Through the upper end of the shaft A-the non-rotary spindle Gis inserted, resting upon the upper end of the rack E. j The spindle G is retained upon said rack byitsown weight,

and, if necessary, by means of a'suitable. spring u, connected, as represented, within;

the dial-case. case X is supported upon brackets H J K, at tached to the plate I, rigidly mounted upon case.

The dial mechanism Within the turning, its-upper end G may be flattened,

as shown, within its upper bearing H or otherwise provided with a longitudinal ridge, so

as to permit its free vertical movementthere in, The pino', projecting rigidly from-the no n-rotary spindle G, is thereby moved in a} true vertical line, and the index it of the dial 0 isoperated by said pin 2' in varying ratio to the lineal motion of the latter to compensate-for its variable rise andfall under given I fluctuations at different speeds and produce an approximation of uniform motions of said index-hand for said given fluctuations at all parts of the dial. The said variable distances of rise and fall of the spindle G attend the diderent angular positions of the weighted armsD D, as will be obvious, the lineal motion of the said shaft and pin 7; being decreased for given changes of speed, as the weighted arms approach theirontermost position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The composition is effected by means of the following mechanism, consisting in a slotted radius-arm M, pivoted aside from the line of motion of the pin 1i, whereby when the latter is moved itacts upon said arm at variable distances or radii from its center. The arm M is secured to its pivotal shaft 0, which, in order to impart a magnified motion to the index-hand, is geared to the indeX-shaftj, bearing said hand, by means of a toothed segment N, engaging with the indexpinion P. It will be seen by an inspection of Fig. 5 that the index pinion and shaft are free and independent from the vertical spindle G and so placed as to clear the path of the pin 1', avoiding interference therewith. It will be obvious that the segment N and pinion P and separate index-shaft may be dispensed with, the index-bandit being placed directly upon the shaft 0 or upon the index-arm M; or, moreover, the said index-arm may itself be extended to form the indicator, a segmental dial being used. I also contemplate any modification of the arm M wherein its slot in is constructed of curvilinear or other form at variance with that illustrated for producing the desired compensation of motion. 0 represents a suitable glass plate inclosing the face of the dial 0 to protect the parts from dust. The frame B of the apparatus is represented of cylindrical form, inclosing, by means of its sides B, the centrifugal mechanism, protecting that also from dust or injury. By the construction thus described a symmetrical position of the dial with reference to the retary shaft and vertical spindle is secured. Dispensing with the compensating mechanism herein illustrated, the index-hand and its shaftmay be directly geared, by means of a pinion thereon, to a rack upon the vertical spindle G, as illustrated in' Fig. 3, a dial-scale of diminishing progression being employed in that instance to properly indicate the speed fluctuations.

Referring now to Figs. l to 2, inclusive, R

R represent the rear drivers of the locomotive,

S the rotary axle thereof, and A the shaft, corresponding to that similarly designated in Figs. 3 and 4c or a shaft suitably geared or connected thereto. The indicator C is supported in the cab of the locomotive at any suitable position convenient to the view of the engineer, and in the position shown its shaft A is carried vertically in front of the boiler, extending directly from the indicator through an aperture in the floor T of the cab and bearing at its lower end a bevel-gear s, meshing with the second bevel-gear 6 upon the counter-shaft 11-, hearing a sheave U, suitably bolted to the axle S. The gears 'l/ s are differentially proportioned to obtain the desired speed for the indicator-shaft A, and, according to the varying diameter of the drivers of different locomotives, I may adjust the relative motion of the shaft A as may be necessary to give the proper indications by means of varying the diameter of the said gears or of the belt-sheave U with reference to the diameter of the axle S or collar V thereon upon which the belt \V is carried. The belt W consists of any suitable material, preferably of round cross-section, frictionally engaging with the V-shaped grooves of the sheaves. According to the diameter-of the drivers R, the sheaves U may be replaced by others of greater or less diameter to impart such speed of rotation to the centrifugal weights D I) as will effect the proper indications. In order to more conven iently vary the circumference of the sheave U and to permit its adjustment from time to time as may be necessary, owing to the wear of the tires of the driving-wheels, the said sheave is constructed as illustrated in Figs. 2, 2", and 2, consistingof two truncated cones (L b mortised with radiating teeth 0 on their smaller faces, which interlock more or less, according to the adjustments of the screwthreaded nuts (1 d on the shaft it, thus varying the intersection of the cones and the circumference of the groove formed thereby.

It will be observed that by employing the counter-shaft 'u. as a transmitting medium located laterally with reference to the axle S, interference with the action of theindicator by the vertical play of the said axle S in its bearings when the springs ofine engine act is obviated.

The operation of my invention is as follows: As the shaft A rotates the weighted arms D are centrifugally actuated and receive greater or less angular motion, according to the rate of speed at which the fluctuations occur, and the toothed segments (1, moving correspondingly, actuate the rack E, spindle G, and pin 2' with vertical change of position, accordingly depressing them by an increase of speed or lifting them by adecrease thereof. The initial acceleration from zero to ten miles per hour will, for instance, impart a greater angular change of position to the weights 1) D about their fulcra'in opposition to gravity than will be imparted during a further acceleration of from ten te twenty miles, and so on as the rate progresses. At the same time the accompanying descent of the spindle and pin 1' will, o ving to the diminishing radii of the latters engage ment with the index-arm M, produce an inverse increase of motion of the latter, as nearlyequalizing and compensating for the decreasing angular motion of the centrifugal weights as practically required. \Vhen the speed is reduced, the aforesaid conditions are reversed, producing increasing motions of theindexhand It for given changes of specd,"'th'e dccrcasingmotion of the arm M, compensating for the increasing angular motion of the ce11- name? 1. Ina speed-indioatona centrifugal weight, an index, and means for imparting nniform' motion to'the index from the variable motion of the Weight, consisting in a pivoted arm through which motion is transmitted at a radius which varies with the speed. r

- 2. In a centrifugal speed-indicator,theoombination of a rotary shaft, eentri-fugally-aetnated weighted. arms thereon, a lineally-operated indicator-spindle controlled by the said arms, a dial index-hand, and an index arin for operating the same, fnlornmed aside from the line of'movement of said indicator-spindle, having connection therewith at radial distances from its said fulcrum, which vary with the speed, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination, in a centrifugal speedindioator, of a revolving shaft, centrifugal Weights pivoted thereon bearing toothed segments, a toothed rack tangentially engaging with said segments, anon-rotary indicatorspindle supported on the saidrack, a speedindicating dial, and an index thereon operated bythe said spindle.

4. The combination,in aoentrifngal speed indicator, of a rotary shaft,'eentrifngal Weights pivotally suspendedthereon,toothed segments attached to the Weights, a rack in the axis'of the shaft engaging tan entiaily with said seginentaand an index operatedloy the rack.

5. In a centrifugal. speed-indicator, the eoin bination, with a rotary shaft; eentrifngallyactuated weighted arms suspended thereon,

a toothed index-operating, each; and toothed segments, engaging tangentially therewith,

fixed to the said weighted. arms, of aninden arm pivoted aside from the line of DlOVG'QiBlli] of the said rack or an extension thereof, sneh as the spindle G, and a projecting pin upon the said rack or its extension engaging with said arm at variabledistanees from its pivot,

substantially as and for the purposes doeorioed.

6. The combination, in a centrifugal speed' indicator, of a rotary shaft or equivalent,

weights pivoted thereon having centrifugallyimparted angular motion, an indicator-spindle operated longitudinally by said angular motior'na dial having approximately equal subdivisions representing rates of speed, a

slotted index-arm pivoted aside from. the spindie, a pin in the latter engaging with theslotted arm at variable distanees from its pivot,

a too'thed segment on the axis of the arm, and.

an index-hand for the dial and pinion there on engaged with by the said toothed segment.

' ISAAUN. LEWIlSe Witnessesr I H. F. PARKER,

M. J. Srnnoian. 

